Printing counter for sorting machines

ABSTRACT

325,480. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Ford, E. A.). Nov. 19, 1927, [Convention date]. Divided on 300,909. Statistical apparatus.-In a record -card - controlled counting machine having units counters for the card-hole positions connected individually with the card-reading device, a reject counter has a connection (182), normally effective, which transmits at the end of each card cycle an impulse to the reject counter, there being controlling means (183) which operate, when a counter has been actuated by a hole being read, to disable the said connection to the reject counter. The apparatus described is the same as that described and shown in Figs. 3, 9, 15, 16, 18, 21, and 22 of Specification 300,909. When a card-hole is read by the brush a circuit is closed from positive line to 43, 44&lt;1&gt;, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, card-lever contacts 186, to negative. Simultaneously, a circuit is made from 182 to common bar 188, a units counter magnet 107 and segment 179 corresponding to the hole under the brush, 180, 189, to 186. Energization of 183 unlatches 192 to open contacts 182. Late in the card cycle a cam rotated by the sorter motor restores part 192 to close contacts 182. Normally, therefore. reject counter magnet 107 is energized when the rear edge of the card leaves the brush and the latter meets the base contact roller 43. If a hole has been read, however, contacts 182 are open and the reject magnet is not energized. Hence this magnet will count all cards not counted on other units counters 9 - - 0, X, or E. Specification 284,241 also is referred to.

Sept. 12, 19.33. E. A. FORD PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORTING MACHINES FiledNov. 19, 1927 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 12, 1933. E. A. FORD PRINTINGCOUNTER FOR SORTING MACHINES 11 Sheets-Sheei 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1927Qwwentoz Sept. 12, 1933. E. A. FORD PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORTINGMACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1927v ll Sheets-$heet 3 Z a////////////// V ,1 Ak WM? ma i w j///////A///////// S .i go 5? M lli -07 B Y L. @2 w M Q mwSwueutoz Sept. 12, 1933. E. A. FORD PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORTINGMACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1927 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 I I. IIIIK awwwntoz Sept.12, 19 33. A, FORD PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORTING MACHINES ll Sheets-Sheet5 Filed Nov.. 19, 1927 u gum Q W1 1W 1 Sept. 12, 1933. E. A. FORD1,926,896

PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1927 llSheets-Sheet 6 351 i Gu /a I Sept. 12, 1933. E. A. FORD 1,926,896

PRINTING COUNTER FCR SORTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19 1927 llSheets-Sheet'V Sept. 12, 1933. V

E. A. FORD PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1927 Y11 Sheets-Sheet 8 jlglz s! 2s avwemtoz Sept. 12, 1933.

E. A. FORD PRINTING COUNTER FOB SORI'ING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1927 11Sheets-Sheet amve ntoz GM M5.

Sept. 12, 1933. E. A. FORD PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORTING MACHINES 11Sheets$heet 1o Filed NOV. 19, 1927 I gvwemi oz Sept. 12, 1933. E. A.FORD 1,926,896

PRINTING COUNTER FOR SORIING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1921 llSheets-Sheet ll Patented: Sept. 12, 1933 Eugene A. Ford, Scarsdale, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to International Business MachinesCorporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationNovember 19, 1927 Serial No. 234,329

Claims.

This invention relates to accounting machines which are automaticallycontrolled by record cards bearing index point designations.

The object of this invention is to provide a 5 combined printing andcounting attachment controlled by an accounting machine to print arecord of the number of differently characterized record cards operatedon or fed through said accounting Y machine.

Another object is to provide an improved construction of counter foroperation with said accounting machines.

Still another object is to provide a counter with novel means forprinting from said counter on a sheet of paper, a record of cardspassing through an accounting machine.

The object is further to operate the printing counter under control ofan analyzing device which is adapted to simultaneously read the cardsfor accounting purposes.

Another object is still further to initiate the operation of a printingcounting device under controlof an accounting machine and to terminatethe operation of said counting device independently of said accountingmachine.

Still another object is also to devise a printing counter attachmentwhich is driven independently of the driving means for the accountingmachine controlling the counter.

Another object is to construct a printing counter; as a separate machinewhich may be connected interchangeably to various accounting machines.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to print a record ofthe number of record cards sorted into each of the several pockets of asort ing machine.

Another object is to provide an improved construction of analyzing brushholder for the sort= ing machine whereby it is adapted to removably holda plurality of analyzing brushes, one or more of which may be used forprinting control, another for sorting control, or either of which may beused for both sorting and printing control.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying drawings, whereinthe printing counter attachment is shown in combination with a sortingmachine.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the sorting machine;

Fig. 2 is a top View of the printing counter attachment for the sorterwith parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the printing counter attachment;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the analyzing brush, holder 60 and its positioningplates;

Fig. 7 is a detail of the means for removably securing the analyzingbrush in position;

Fig. 8 is a detail side section through the paper roll carrier of theprinting counter attachment; 7

Fig. 9 is a top detail view of the printer counter attachment partiallyin section;

Fig. 10 is a detail of the unit element of a printing counter bank;

Fig. 11 is a detail of the highest order element of a printing counterbank;

Fig. 12 is a detail of one of the card lever contacts of the sortingmachine;

Fig. 13 is an edge view of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 isa sectional detail taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 15 is a section taken-on line 15--15 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 16 is a detail of the positiverestorer for the armature shown inFig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a side section through the control portion of thesortingmachine Fig. 18 is a front elevation of the sorting machine lookingtoward the card magazine;

Fig. -19 is a detail of the Veeder counter used to count total cardsoperated on;

Fig. 20 is a detail of the operating means for the Veeder counter;

Fig. 21 is a section on line 2121 of Fig. 18; and.

Fig. 22 is the circuit diagram of the sorting machine and its printingcounter attachment.

It will be understood that while a sorting machine has been disclosed incombination with the printing counter attachment, that any otheraccounting machine such as a computing and printing tabulating machinemay be combined with the printing counter attachment.

Referring to Figs. 1, 1'7 and 18, particularly, the sorting machine.with which the printing counter attachment is combined is provided witha magazine 25 for holding a stack of record cards. The sorting motor 26when set in operation effects rotation of a shaft 27 runninglongitudinally of the machine. A worm gear 28 fixed on the end of theshaft 27 meshes with a worm gear 29 on a picker actuating shaft 30. Atthe left end of said shaft (as viewed in Fig. 18) is a crank arm 31which revolves an eccentric sleeve 32 about coast. The sleeve isprovided with arms 38'pivotally associated with one of a-pair of pickerarms 34'fixed at their lower ends to a shaft 35 journaled in fixedbearings 36, the picker arms being forced by shaft 35 to partake of thesame oscillating motion. Each picker arm is pivoted to a slidable pickerblade 37, so that at each oscillation of the picker arms the knife edges38 of the picker blade will feed onecard. at a time from the magazine tothe feed rolls 39, a series of which feed the card continuously throughthe machine to the several sorting pockets 40. The first pair of feedrolls advances the card through guide aperture 41 into the guideaperture 42 and onto the side frame plates 42'. Between guide apertures41 and 42 is located the analyzing device comprising the usual contactroll 43 and the coacting sensing brush 44. The

latter is fixed m a holder 45 including plates 46 of insulatingmaterial, the vertical edges of which fit into aligned notches 47 (seeFig. 6) in a pair of fixed positioning plates 48. Each pair of alignednotches 47 corresponds to a card column, one of the plates 48 beingmarked with the numbers of the columns corresponding to the notches. Theanalyzing brush may be set to sense any desired column by insertingholder 45 in the appropriately marked notches 47 of the plates 48. Theholder is then looked in position in plates 48 by means of asemi-circular shaft 49 freely rotatable in a circular opening in abearing block 50. The top of e block is in contact with the end of asprin pressed pin 51 urging the fiat surface of the shaft 49 intoengagement with the top of the brush holder, downward movement of whichis limited by plates 52 attached to the bottom of plates 48. Referringto Fig. 7, at each end of the shaft 49 is rigidly attached a disk 53provided with a-pair of curved notches 54 ninety degrees apart, thenotches being adapted to engage a fixed rod 55. One of the disks hasassociated therewith a handle 56 which when turned ninety degrees to theleft from the position shown in Fig. .7, =rotates the shaft anddiskclockwise, as viewedin Figs. 7 and 17, thus causing the planesurface of the shaft to move off the top and to one side of the brushholder which may then be removed from the notches 47. Spring-pressed pin51 holds the notches 54 in yielding engagement with rods 55 so as toretain the shaft in position shown in Fig. 7, for locking the brushholder or in position, 90 clockwise of Fig. 7, to permit removal andinsertion of the brush holder.

Referring to Fig. 17, after the forward edge of the card passes theguide aperture 42, it moves under the upwardly turned edges of the guideblades 56, the card being supported at its sides by fixed plates 42',while the guide blade edges are supported on a vertically movable plate(not shown) between the side plates 42'. When the analyzing brushencounters a perforation in the card, it contacts roll 43 andestablishes a circuit to be described later, energizing magnet coils 57which thereupon attract the armature 58 to which said movable plate isattached, the action of the magnet being opposed by spring 59. Themovement of thearmature lowers the plate causing the edges of guides 56to drop under their own weight in the absence of a card beneath them.However, those guide edges under which the card has already moved willnot drop,

being supported by the card, which in turn is supported by the fixedplates 42'. As the card continues to feed, it will move over the firstof the guide edges which have dropped .below the ma am:

card to the appropriate sorting pocket 40. The

time of energization of the magnet to effect the drop of the guide bladeedges depends on the position of the perforation which in turndetermines the position of the card beneath the guide blade edges, sothat the guide blade over which the card passes to the sorting pocketcorresponds of which is fastenedto the side of arm 62 (see Figs. 17and'l8) urging the arm toward the eccentric sleeve. The lower end of thearm 62 is provided with a pin 66 which is guided for vertical movementby a guide slot 67 in the frame 69. The action of the eccentric sleeve32 effects the oscillation of arm 62 and the vertical reciprocation ofthe pin 66 on the end of the arm within the guide slot 67. The end ofthe pin 66 under the influence of spring 65 lies normally within theslot. When the first card is fed from magazine 25, it closes the usualcard lever con tacts 166' (Fig. 22) which remain closed so long as cardsare being fed from the magazine. The closing of the card lever contactsestablishes a circuit from the positive to the negative side of thesupply through a magnet 68 (see Fig. 22) which remains energized whilecards are being fed. The magnet coils 68 are carried by the subframe 69attached to the frame leg 70 (see Figs. 17 and 19). The energization ofmagnet 68 attracts lts pivoted armature 71 against the bias of a spring72. The free end of the armature loosely fits within slots 73 formed inthe right angularly extending ends of a pairof arms 74 of a bell crank,the other arms 75 of which are joined at their ends by an integral plate76 in contact with the head of pin 66. Unless magnet 68 is energized,spring 72 forces the free end of armature 71 downward and plate 76engages pin 66 lightly. As soon as the first card closes the card levercontacts, the magnet 68 is energized, as described, attracting armature71 to rock the bell crank counterclockwise, the plate 76 then forcingthe end of pin 66 outside the slot 67 to the position shown in Fig. 20in which position it remains till the card feed ceases. In thisposition, as the pin reciprocates on its upward movement it contacts anarm 77 loosely mounted on a stud 78 and moves the arm and stud upwardlyagainst the force of a spring 79, which also acts to hold the end of arm77 towards the pin 66. Loosely journaled on the stud is an arm 80 whichis fixed to the shaft 81 of the Veeder counter. Thus reciprocation ofthe pin 66 after energization of magnet 68, effects reciprocation of arm77, and oscillation of shaft 81 through arm 80. Each actuation of theshaft 81 advances the Veeder counter one unit in a well-known manner.Since the reciprocation of pin 66 is effected by the crank 31 which alsoeffects the card feed, it is apparent that the Veeder counter counts thetotal number of cards fed through the sorting machine. The head of ascrew 82 fixed in the end of a rod 83 acts as a stop to limit themovementof armature 71 away from the magnet 68 under the force of spring72. The other end of rod 83 is threaded in frame 69 and by means of aknob 84 the rod may be adjusted to hold the armature the desireddistance from the magnet, and if desired to hold the armature out of therange of attraction of the magnet to prevent operation of the Veedercounter.

The printing counter attachment combined with the sorting machine isprovided with a separate motor 85 (Figs. 2 and 5), which rotates thecounter printer shaft 86 through worm gears 87 (Fig. 2). The shaft has akey-way 88 in which are seated keys 89 of friction disks 90. Eachprinting bank 91 mounted on the shaft has a set of four wheels 92 exceptthe total printing bank which has five, although it is obvious that thenumber of wheels in a bank may be varied as desired. A friction disk isprovided on each side of a wheel, compression springs 93 located betweenadjacent banks, engaging the outer disks and urging them into frictionalengagement with the sides of the wheels. As the friction disks rotatewith the printing counter shaft, they tend to rotate the wheels but areprevented from so doing by pawls 94, the nose 95 of the pawl engagingthe long side 96 of one of the notches 97, in the escapement wheel plate98 to prevent the latter moving in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 10).The plate 98 is rigidly attached to the printing wheel which is providedwith ten type lugs bearing characters 0 to 9 disposed in successiveorder equal circumferential distances apart. The escapement plate iswithin a hollow formed by the periphery of the printing wheel whichextends as an annular flange 99 from the side of the wheel. On theinside of the flange are equally spaced apart escapement lugs 100, ofwhich one side 101 is substantially radial of the flange. There is a lugcorresponding to each notch 97, which in turn corresponds to a printinglug on the wheel. The pawl nose 95 projects from the side of the pawland is sufficiently narrow, to pass between the top of the lug 100 andthe periphery of the escapement plate. The pawl 94 is provided above thepawl nose with a lug 103 coextensive with the. sides of the pawl. Theescapement plates 98 of all but the highest order wheels are formed witha lug 104 extending from the side adjacent the pawl of the next higherorder wheel. By means of the cam lugs 104 and 103, a transfer operationis effected when a lower order wheel moves in the direction of the arrow(Fig. 10) to present its 0 type at the index or printing position.During this movement, cam surface 105 on the lug 104 of a wheel engagesthe head of 'lug 103 of the "pawl of the next higher order wheel anddepresses the pawl against the bias of spring 106 causing the pawl noseto disengage notch side 96 to permit the Wheel to move with the rotatingfriction disks in the direction of the arrow. The engagement of lugs 104and 103 is limited to such time as will permit the wheel to move onlyone step or the distance from notch to notch. Should the pawl not risesoon enough to engage the next notch side 96, due to the lagging actionof spring 106, the wheel is prevented from moving more than one step bythe engagement of the radial side 101 of the next flange lug 100 withthe pawl nose while the latter is in its lower position. As soon as thepawl rises under the influence of the spring 106, it disengages said lug100, permitting the wheel to move till the adjacent notch side 96strikes the pawl nose, thus completing the transfer operation.

The action of the holding pawl in permitting the unit wheel of a bank tomove one step is similar to that described above but in this case, the

pawl is depressed by means of a magnet 107. Upon the analyzing brush ofthe sorter. encountering a perforation in the card, a circuit isestablished in a manner to be hereinafter described which energizes themagnet 107 of the printing bank corresponding to the designation of theperforation. For example, if a perforation designating 5 is sensed bythe brush, the magnet of the printer bank 5 (see Fig. 2) is energized.Upon energization of the magnet 107, it attracts'armature 108 to whichthe pawl 94 of the units wheel is fastened and moves the pawl nose outof engagement with the notch -side 96 it is then engaging. The wheelthen moves with the friction disks and if the magnet fails to deenergizesoon enough or the spring 106 does not act promptly, the pawl .nosecontacts in its lowered position the next lug 100, from which it isreleased to engage the adjacent notch side 96. If the magnet and springact promptly, the nose 95 moves upwardly before the next lug 100 reachesit and passes over the lug to engage the adjacent notch 97.

In Fig. 11 is shown the highest order printing wheel of a bank, theescapement plate thereof differing from the others in being providedtact the right side of the pawl nose 95 of the pawl when the wheel isturned clockwise stopping the wheel with the space between type 9 and 0in the index or printing position. This is designed to prevent thehighest order wheels going from 9 type to 0 type since no transfer is tobe effected by these wheels. If the wheel stops with no type in printingposition, there will not be any figure printed by the wheel, revealingto the operator that the capacity of the bank of which said wheel is anelement was exceeded during operation of the machine.

In order to zeroize the printing counter wheels, the direction ofrotation of the counter shaft 86 is reversed by means to be describedlater. The pawl nose 95 is not adapted to restrain the reversed movementof the counter wheel in the opposite direction of the arrow, Fig. 10.However, during this movement, a plane surface 109 of the lug 104 oflower order wheel contacts the forward edge of the nose 95 of the pawlof the next higher order wheel which stops the lower order wheel withits 0 type in index or printing position. During their reversedmovement, the highest order wheels are stopped with the 0 type in indexposition by contact of the lug 104' thereof with the left side of thepawl nose 95 of its holding pawl.

After the sorting operation is completed, the number of cards in eachpocket is presented at the index position by the correspondingprinterbank and the total number of the cards in all the pockets ispresented by the total printing counter bank. The following means areprovided to effect printing on a sheet of the figures standing on theprinting wheels. Referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 9, the housing 110 is openin the front, the type lugs from which the impression is to be takenprojecting past said opening in index position. A ribbon 111 extends thelength of the opening in the housing directly in front of the type lugsin index position. The left end of the ribbon is attached to a clip 112on the end of an arm 113 pivoted to the side of the housing. A spring114 acts on the arm urging the free end thereof away x the carriage 125is 'at the right as shown in Fig,

from the housing. The other end of the'ribbon is attached to the end ofanother arm pivoted to the housing. The arm is provided with an openingthrough whioh-ascrew 116 passes, the end of the screw contacting theside of the housing under the influence of the spring 114 acting on theother end of the ribbon. The screw may be used to adjust the tautness ofthe ribbon as well as to shift it relatively to the types. Spring strips117 (Fig. 3) for guiding the ribbon and holding it slightly away fromthe printing wheels are fastened-to the base of the housing intermediatethe counter banks. A fiat platen band 118 is fastened at each end to apin 119 (Fig. 9) carried by the frame plates 120 which are rotatablymounted on a shaft 122 iournalled in standards 123 fixed to the base ofthe printing counter attachment. A beam 124 fastened to platesf120,(Figs. 3, 9, and 14) extends the width of the attachment in a directionparallel to the platen and ribbon strips. Slidably mounted on the beam124 is a carriage 125 provided with a handle 126 for moving it and afreely rotatable steel roller 127 opposite the handle pressing againstthe platen strip.

After the sorting operation, the frame plates 120 are moved to theposition shown in Fig. 14 with the plane of the platen band parallel tothe plane of the ribbon. By means of handle 126, the carriage 125 isthen moved from one end of the guide bar 124 to the other. For example,if

5 then it is moved to the left. The operation may be-repeated, ifdesired. In each extreme position of the carriage a spring pressed ball128 in the handle engages a notch 129 (Figs. 5 and 14) to hold thecarriage yieldably in position. During the motion of carriage 125 on thebeam 124, the roller 127 presses the platen strip against the printinglugs on the wheels so that as the roller moves past a printing lug, itcauses the lug to print on a paper positioned between the platen and theribbon. When the carriage 125 has moved from one side of the machine tothe other, it has caused all the type lugs in index position to printonthe paper the total number of cards in each pocket and the totalnumber of cards in all the pockets, as shown in Fig. 2.

The paper is supplied in the form of a roller which is placed in acircular holder, comprising a lower part 130 fixed to the side plates120 of the movable frame (see Fig. 5) and an upper part 131 hinged tothe lower part. After the paper ing 134 in the holder over a table 135fixed to the movable frame members 120, the platen strip 118, and a rod136, then under a plate 137 and between the plate and a pair of rubbercovered rolls 138 and over a roll 139 freely rotatable on shaft 122. Thepaper may be severed against the edge 140 of the plate 137. The shaft141 of rolls 138 is journalled in arms 142 rockably mounted on the shaft122. Extensions 143 of the arm have springs 144 fastened thereto, theother end of the springs being attached to rod 136. The springs urge theroll 138 into contact with the paper. The end of the shaft 141 isprovidedwithaknob145 (Fig.5) whichisusedto rotate the shaft and therolls 138 thereon in order to feed the paper past plate 137.

When not in printing position (Fig. 14) the printing frame is usually inthe position shown in Fig. 3. In order to move the frame 120 from theposition shown in Fig. 3 to that in Fig. 14,

the operator grasps the handles 146 at each side of the frame and swingsthe frame clockwise on .shaft 122. The parts are retained in theprinting position shown in Fig. 14 by means of a spring pressed latchingpawl 150 slidably retained in each of the side plates 120 by a pin 151fixed in the plate acting within a notch 152 of the pawl to limit themovement of the pawl. The nose of the pawl, when in the position shownin Fig. 14, enters the space between the forward edge of a fixed camplate 153 and a screw 154 to releasably hold the frame in the printingposition. After printing is completed, the operator grasps the handles146 and swings the frame counterclockwise, the latch pawl 150 beingforced out of the space between cam 153 and screw 154 and moving alongcam 153. The latter has a stop 155 which is adapted to be engaged by thelatch 150 to hold the frame in position where the plate 135 may be usedas a table for writing on the sheet. The stop 155 also prevents theabrupt dropping of the frame into the position shown in Fig. 3 under theforce of its weight should the operator suddenly release handles 146.The operator by exerting a slight additional pressure on the frameforces latch 150 off the stop 155, the frame then taking the positionshown in Fig. 3.

The manner in which the sorting machine and the printing counterattachment coact will be explained with reference to the circuit diagramFig. 22. The motor of the sorter is set in operation by pressing on thestart key 160. A circuit is thus established from the positive side ofthe power supply through the stop key contacts 161, the start keycontacts 162, the magnets 163 and 164 to the negative side of the powersupply. As soon as magnet 164 is energized, it attracts its armature toclose contacts 165 completing the circuit through the sorter motor 26.The motor being set in operation, the cards in the magazine 25 of thesort-.

ing machine will be fed one at'a time by the pickers 38 (see Fig. 17)..When the forward edge of the first card passes the analyzing brush, itcloses the usual card lever contacts 166, and contacts 167 being alreadyclosed by energization of magnet 163, a circuit is completed whichshunts the start key contacts 162, after which the start key may bereleased. The motor 26 being in operation, the sorting commutator 168 isset in motion synchronously with the feed of the card so that thecontact of commutator brush 169 with the commutator segments occurssimultaneously with the wiping of the corresponding index pointpositions on the card by the analyzing brush 44.-

Upon the'analyzing brush encountering a perforation in the card,'acircuit is established from the positive side through the contact roll43 and analyzing brush 44 to a socket 170 on a plug board 171, fromsocket 170 to another plug board socket 172, to the common commutatorcontact brush 173, the commutator segment corresponding to the positionof the perforation in the card, the commutator brush 169, through magnet174 and the sorting magnets 57 to the negative side. The magnets 57thereupon cause the guide blades 56 (Fig. 17) to sort the card, aspreviously explained. The magnets are energized for the remainder of thecard cycle, through contacts'1'l5 closed by magnet 1'74, the circuitthenbeing through magnet 5'7, through contacts 175, brushes 1'16,wipinga sorter breaker contact roll 177 to the positive side of theline. The insulated portion'of the sorter breaker contacts the brushes176 while the space between successive cards is under the analyzingbrush, thereby breaking the circuit through the sorting magnets.

Rotated by the sorter motor 26 in synchronism with the feed of the cardpast the analyzing brush is a printing counter commutator brush 180which engages the commutator segments 179 successively andsimultaneously with the analysis of the corresponding index pointpositions on the card by the analyzing brush. When it is desired tomerely count the number of different perforations in a column of a runof cards, an analyzing brush 44' is connected to plug board contacts181. Upon the brush 44' meeting a perforation in the card, a circuit isestablished from the positive to the negative side .through theanalyzing contacts 43, 44', contact 181, contacts 182, magnet 183,brushes 184 wiping a counter breaker contact roll 185, and card levercontacts 186 separate from the other card lever contacts and closedslightly in advance of the latter. Simultaneously with energization ofmagnet 183, a circuit is also established from contacts 182 throughcontacts 187, the common contact bar 188, the counter magnet 107 andcontact segment 1'79 corresponding to the perforation under theanalyzing brush, through the brush 180, contact ring 189, to the brushes184 andjthrough card lever contacts 186 to the negative side of thesupply. The energization of the counter magnet actuates the pawl 94 topermit the unit wheel of the printing counter bank corresponding to theposition of the card perforation to move one step, in the mannerpreviously described. The energization of the counter magnet ismomentary as contacts 182 are broken, upon energization of magnet 183which occurs simultaneously with the energize.- tionof the countermagnet. The energization of magnet 183 attracts its armature 190 againstthe force of spring 191, moving the end of the armature away from thecontact blade 192 of contacts 182 and permitting the blades to springapart and open the contacts. The magnet 183 is thereby deenergized butarmature latch 190 is unable to again close contacts 182, beingrestrained by contact with the lower edge of blade 192. Referring toFigs. 15 and 16 which illus trate the relation of magnet 183 andcontacts 182, a cam roll 193 is rotated by the sorter motorsynchronously with the counter commutators and breaker rolls. Aprojection 194 on the roll 193 is adapted to engage an arm 195 duringthe interval between successive card feeds to rock the arm on its pivottoward the contact blade 192,

Y an insulated piece 196 of the arm 195 then contacting said blade andmoving it to the right off the top of armature 190. The spring 191 thenacts to move the armature upwardly to engage the side of the blade 192and close contacts 182.

' 200, the outer end 201 of which is adapted to contact armature 190.The engagement of lug 197 with arm I98 rocks the plate 200counterclockwise, causing it to move the armature counterright.

clockwise and positively restore it to locking engagement with the sideof blade 192 simultaneousiy with the am 195 moving the blade to the Thecontacts 182 are thus closed before the beginningof a card cycle.

Referring again to Fig. 22, the insulated portion 202 of the counterbreaker roll 185 wipes the brushes 184 during the interval betweensuccessive card feeds thus preventing energization of magnet 183 andcounted magnets 108 due to the analyzing brush wiping the bare contactroll 43 in the absence of a card. A third brush 203 coacting with thebreaker roll 185 wipes the insulated portion 204 of the roll which has aconducting spot 205 for engaging brush 203 just after the rear edge ofthe card leaves the analyzing brush. A circuit is thereby establishedthrough contacts 187', the total counter magnet 107', brushes 203 and184, card lever contacts 186 to the negative side of the line. The totalprinter counter magnet being energized, the unit wheel thereof isadvanced one step. This occurs every card cycle so that the total numberof cards analyzed is recorded by the total printer counter. The rejectcounter magnet is energized when the rear edge of the card just leavesthe analyzing brush, provided none of the other magnets have beenanalyzed during the last card cycle. Should a perforation be read by theanalyzing brush during this cycle, the contacts 182 will break andremain open until the beginning of the next card cycle as explainedabove, thus preventing further energization of a counter magnet for theremainder of the first cycle. The reject counter magnet will thus failto be energized unless a perforation in the card has not been sensedduring the card cycle. Should the latter condition occur, the contacts182 will still be closed when the card leaves the analyzing brush, and acircuit be established upon engagement of the analyzing brush with thebare contact roll 43, through thereject counter and correspondingcommutator segment 1'79. Immediately after this the insulated portion202 of counter breaker 183 wipes brushes 184 and opens the countermagnet circuit.

By means of the plug board arrangement, an analyzing brush 44 may beutilized to merely efl'ect counting of the different positions in aparticular column on the card, or a similar brush 44 may be used tomerely sort the cards. Should it be desired to sort and also count thecards in the different sorting pockets, one of the brushes is removedand the other brush set to read the card column according to which thecards are to be sorted. For example, if brush 44 is used, connection isthen made from plug contact 181 to plug contact 172 or if brush 44 is tobe used, connection is made from plug board contact 170 to plug boardcontact 181. The brush upon encountering a perforation in the card willthereupon establish the sorting and counting circuit simultaneously.

The plug board arrangement also permits both brushes 44 and 44' to beconnected for controlling the printing counter from different cardcolumns or both brushes to be used for controlling sorting fromdifferent columns. The utility of this arrangement is in reading aplurality of columns having the same kind of data but pertaining todifferent classes, for example, each of two columns may contain age databut one of the columns used for men and the other for women. It maysometimes be desirable to sort for age alone irrespective of the classor to count the different ages recorded on the card regardless ofwhether they are those of men or of women. By connecting plug boardcontact 170 with plug board contact 181, both brushes 44 and 44' willcontrol the printing counter from different columns and both will alsocontrol the sorting from the columns. By disconnecting contact 170 from172, the brushes will control only the printing counter.

The objectof providing contacts 187 and 187' is to prevent undesirableenergization of the counter magnets and resulting movement of theprinting wheels when the platen frame is in the position shown in Fig.14. When the printing counters are operating during the sorting ofcards, contacts 187 and 187 (Fig. 22) remain closed and the platen frameis in the position shown in Fig. 3. These contacts are carried by springblades 210 (Fig. 4) below the base'plate of the housing 110 (Figs. 3 and14) One of the blades of each pair is longer than the other. The longblade of contacts 187' has an extension 211 which is in contact with aninsulated block 212 attached to the other long arm. The block isnormally engaged on the side opposite that engaged by extension 211 bythe end of an arm 213 of a bell crank 214 pivoted at 215. When the frame121 is moved from the position in Fig. 3 to Fig. 14, the forward edge ofplate 137 engages the outer end of hell crank 214 which is in the pathof the plate and further movement of the plate to printing position ofFig. 14 rocks the bell crank on its pivot causing the arm 213 to movethe long blades 210 of contacts 187 and 187' away from the short blades,thus opening contacts 187 and 187', which by reference to Fig. 22 areseen to be in the circuits of the counter magnets 107 and 107'.Energization of these magnets is thus impossible while the printing isbeing effected.

The Veeder counter magnet 68 remains energized so long as cards arefeeding, as explained previously, the circuit through the magnetbeingbroken only by opening of the card lever contacts 166' whichhappens after the last card is fed.

Fig. 22 also shows the circuit for driving the counter motor with themeans for reversing the current in the motor field 216 to reverse therotation of the motor shaft in order to zeroize the counter wheels, inthe manner explained previously. When the counter wheels are beingrotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 10, the motor operatingcircuit is through the switch 217, the contact block 218, spring blade219, contact posts 220, the motor field 216, the contact posts 221',spring blade 222 and contact block 223. To reverse the motor, theoperator grasps the free end of a lever 224 (Figs. 2 and 5) pivoted tothe base of the printer attachment and swings the lever to the rightmoving a link 225 on the other end of the lever to the left, against theforce of a spring 226. .The lever 225 actuates spring blades 219 and 222connected by insulated pins to the left out of contact with contactstuds 220 and into contact with studs 221, which reverses the fleld ofthe motor. When the operator releases the handle, the spring 226 returnsthe blades 222 and 219 to the right to the normal position shown in Fig.5. In order to prevent reversal of 'the motor when the printing is beingeffected, a rod 227 (Figs. 2 and 5) pivoted to the forward end of lever224 is guided for movement in a hole 228 in standard 123'(see Fig. 5).When the parts are in the printing position (Fig. 14) the movement oflink 227 to the right islimited by contact with the side of the adjacentprinting frame plate 120. The lever 224 as a result cannot be moved tothe right to shift the motor contacts. When the parts are innon-printing position (Fig. 3) the movement of the link 227 through hole228 is unrestrained by the member 120. It is obvious that the reversingmeans for the counter motor is not limited to the particularconstruction shown, as any equivalent convenient reversing means may beemployed.

The sorter breaker 177, the counter commutator brush 180, the counterbreaker 185 and the cam disk 193 for effecting closing of contacts 182,are all fixed to the same shaft 230 mounted within a housing 231attached to the main frame of the sorter, (see Fig. 18). This shaft isdriven by a worm gear 232 meshing with the worm gear 28 which alsodrives the card feed shaft 30. V The feed of the card and the rotationof the commutators and cam disk 193 are thus in perfect synchronizedrelation.

The only connection between the printing counter attachment and thesorting machine is a cable containing the various leads from the sortingmachine to the counter magnets, although it is obvious that the printingcounter may be made integral with the sorter.

The Veeder counter may be used as a check against the totalprinting-counter.

While I have shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novelfeatures of the invention as applied to a single modification it will beunderstood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in theform and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention." I intend to be limited therefore only as indicated bythe scope of the following claims:

1. In combination, in a machine for operat-' ing upon record cardsbearing index point designations, means for analyzing said record cards,means controlled by said analyzing means for separating said cards intogroups in accordance with said index points, printing elements, meanscontrolled by said analyzing means for initiating operation of saidprinting elements at diflerent times in the cycle in accordance withsaid index points, and means cooperating with said elements foreffecting printing on a record sheet of the number of cards in eachgroup.

2. In combination, in a machine for operating upon record cards bearingindex points, analyzing means for reading said record cards, sortingstations for said cards selected by said analyzing means in accordancewith said index points, printing elements simultaneously selected bysaid analyzing means in accordance with said index points, means foroperating the selected printing elements, and means cooperating withsaid elements for effecting printing on a record sheet of the number ofcards in each station.

3. In'combination, in a machine for operating upon record sheets bearingindex point designations, sorting elements, corresponding printingelements, means controlled in accordance with said index points forsimultaneously selectively effecting operation of said sorting elementsand said corresponding printing elements in accordance with said indexpoints, and means cooperating with said printing elements for effectingprinting on a sheet of the number of cards corresponding to eachoperated sorting element.

4. In combination, in a machine for operating upon record cards bearingindex point designations oi diirerent values, feeding means tor feedinga run of cards through the machine,

- banks of printing elements each bank correspondmg to a different valuedesignation, magnetic means for controlling each bank of said printingelements, means controlled by cards as they are fed for operating saidmagnetic means to move each bank one step each time a card with acorresponding value designation is fed whereby after the run oicards iscompletelyied, each bank will have type at the printing positionrepresenting the number of cards in the run which correspond to saidbank, and means coacting with said printing banks to print a record ofthe number of cards in the run bearing the same designation.

5. Means for combining a printing attachment with a card sorting machinefor sorting record cards bearing different designationscorrespondthereby being positioned to .record the number of cards ofeach designation, and impression effecting means coacting with saiddevices to print on a sheet the number of cards of each designationafter the cards have been fed through the machine.

EUGENE A. FORD.

